Training Non-tonal Speakers in the Perception and Production of Mandarin Tones in Disyllabic Words

[[abstract]]This thesis aims to address the theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical issues of tonal acquisition in a second language (L2). The present study investigated the effects of three training approaches on the perceptual and production learning of the four Mandarin lexical tones by groups of non-tonal beginning learners. The experiment employed a pretest-posttest paradigm. Fifteen non-tonal learners of Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan received two weeks of training as extracurricular activities. Based on learners’ choices, one group (the A Group, n=5) received perceptual training only with auditory feedback involving four-way forced choice identification tasks with immediate feedback. A second group (the AM Group, n=5) received perceptual training with auditory and meaning-bearing feedback (i.e., corresponding pictures and English equivalents of the stimuli) involving the same identification tasks during training. A third group (the AV Group, n=5) received perceptual and production training with auditory and visual feedback showing pitch contours with which trainees can compare their own productions. The same training stimuli were used in the three training approaches. Following training, a posttest and a generalization test were administered immediately. Pretest, post-test, and generalization test data in perception and production were collected from the three groups and were compared for effectiveness of the three training procedures. Percent correct scores, perceptual sensitivities and production accuracy to each tone, and tonal confusions were also analyzed. The results at post-test showed that the three training groups improved significantly in perceptual accuracy of Mandarin tones as compared with a control group (the C Group, n=6) and perceptual learning also generalized to new stimuli by a new speaker. The three training groups’ production accuracy of Mandarin tones also improved significantly at posttest. More importantly, trainees who received the auditory-only feedback (i.e., the A and AM groups) showed a greater perceptual and productive improvement in identifying Mandarin lexical tones than those who were trained with the audio-visual feedback (i.e., the AV group). The results indicated that the three training approaches are effective and laboratory based training techniques can be implemented in extracurricular activities. These findings imply that the A and AM training approaches employed in the current study facilitate the learning of Mandarin tones and promote tonal modification of listeners’ tonal properties of L2 tones. It is also suggested that training only in perception with auditory-only feedback is sufficient for improvement in both perception and production of Mandarin tones.

The Perception, Processing and Learning of Mandarin Lexical Tone by Second Language Speakers

Ph.D

Effects of errorless learning on the acquisition of velopharyngeal movement control

Session 1pSC - Speech Communication: Cross-Linguistic Studies of Speech Sound Learning of the Languages of Hong Kong (Poster Session)The implicit motor learning literature suggests a benefit for learning if errors are minimized during practice. This study investigated whether the same principle holds for learning velopharyngeal movement control. Normal speaking participants learned to produce hypernasal speech in either an errorless learning condition (in which the possibility for errors was limited) or an errorful learning condition (in which the possibility for errors was not limited). Nasality level of the participants’ speech was measured by nasometer and reflected by nasalance scores (in %). Errorless learners practiced producing hypernasal speech with a threshold nasalance score of 10% at the beginning, which gradually increased to a threshold of 50% at the end. The same set of threshold targets were presented to errorful learners but in a reversed order. Errors were defined by the proportion of speech with a nasalance score below the threshold. The results showed that, relative to errorful learners, errorless learners displayed fewer errors (50.7% vs. 17.7%) and a higher mean nasalance score (31.3% vs. 46.7%) during the acquisition phase. Furthermore, errorless learners outperformed errorful learners in both retention and novel transfer tests. Acknowledgment: Supported by The University of Hong Kong Strategic Research Theme for Sciences of Learning © 2012 Acoustical Society of Americapublished_or_final_versio

Developing Learning System in Pesantren The Role of ICT

According to Krashen's affective filter hypothesis, students who are highly motivated have a strong sense of self, enter a learning context with a low level of anxiety, and are much more likely to become successful language acquirers than those who do not. Affective factors, such as motivation, attitude, and anxiety, have a direct impact on foreign language acquisition. Horwitz et al. (1986) mentioned that many language learners feel anxious when learning foreign languages. Thus, this study recruits 100 college students to fill out the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) to investigate language learning anxiety. Then, this study designs and develops an affective tutoring system (ATS) to conduct an empirical study. The study aims to improve students’ learning interest by recognizing their emotional states during their learning processes and provide adequate feedback. It is expected to enhance learners' motivation and interest via affective instructional design and then improve their learning performance

Exploraciones fonolingüísticas : V Jornadas Internacionales de Fonética y Fonología y I Jornadas Nacionales de Fonética y Discurso

Los estudios relativos a la fonética y fonología de las lenguas se hallan en una significativa etapa de crecimiento. En todo el mundo y desde diferentes rutas lingüísticas, se llevan a cabo investigaciones que dan cuenta de la manera en que las melodías y sonidos de la lengua forman parte integral del discurso y de la significación. Nuestro país cuenta con numerosos investigadores abocados a esta área y relacionados con investigadores de prestigiosas universidades extranjeras. En esta arena, en el año 2017, tuvimos el honor de ser anfitriones de decenas de estudiosos sobre el tema y de cientos de jóvenes ávidos de informarse sobre un campo de estudio tan sutil como apasionante. Este libro es fruto de una ardua tarea que muestra de qué manera la fonética y la fonología son aspectos ineludibles en la investigación y la enseñanza de las ciencias del lenguaje.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació